High Tech Meters Can Be Read Remotely

The city will kick off a $2.2 million program to install new water meters for all of its customers starting next month, according to Deputy Director of Finance Keith Boyle.

Boyle said this week the city has awarded a contract to Massachusetts-based Mass Installation to do the installation project, which is expected to be completed by next April.

Mass Installation will, in turn, subcontract with ABB Meters of Osceola, Fla., to manufacture and install the new water meters, and Hexagram Inc. of Cleveland to install meter transmitting units (MTUs) and electronic meter reading equipment.

According to Boyle, the new technology will allow water meters to be read electronically from a remote location, rather than having a meter reader periodically visit the residence or place of business.

Boyle explained that the 8,500 MTUs to be installed on customers' water meters will transmit their readings to 9 solar-powered data collectors located on top of government buildings around the city. The MTUs can relay their readings within one-tenth of a second, enabling readings to be taken on every meter in the city twice each day.

Utilizing the cellular telephone network, the data collectors, in turn, relay their readings to a central network control computer. Water usage figures are then downloaded from the computer to billing.

Among the benefits the new technology will allow the city to realize is the immediate indication of any leaks in the system. In the past, because water meters were read only monthly, it took a long time before leaks were spotted, and usually only after someone complained about an unusually high water bill.

Under the new system, parameters showing any given customer's typical water usage are programmed into the computer. A significant change from those parameters could indicate the occurrence of a leak. Reading meters twice daily means a water leak would be readily spotted.

Also, with the installation of the new equipment, the city will be able to discontinue the practice of estimating water bills.

Another immediate benefit the new system will enable customers to enjoy is a 7.5 percent permanent across the board drop in water rates.

City Finance Director Jim Pyers said, "Overall, we're trying to reduce money collected from citizens by 7.5 percent, but not every household will see that savings."

Boyle and Pyers said the key to achieving that level of savings hinges on the level of efficiency at which their old water meter was operating. Boyle noted that the average age of a water meter in Wooster is 8 to 10 years, although many are as old as 15 to 20 years. The actual savings to any given household would be based on the differential of efficiency between the old and new meter.

Boyle also pointed out that because meters will no longer need to be read on site, "it will enable us to make better use of our employees." He said that no layoffs of the city's three meter readers are planned, but added, "We will use our employees in other ways in the utility department. We will look at the whole organization and reallocate our human resources so there will be benefits from this system in other ways as well."

Boyle said the new system will enable the utility department to be "more pro-active in maintenance areas."

Installation of the new equipment is set to begin in mid-August with city council members, administrators and city workers all being part of the pilot project.

Boyle said that residents will be contacted by installers in advance of putting in the new meters. He said that appointments will include evenings and weekend times, as well as throughout the week.

He noted that installers, who will need to make only one visit to a home with what he called minimal disruption, will carry an official ID tag. Each installer will undergo a full police background check.

Boyle noted that if local plumbers are available, they could be hired to perform installations over the next several months.

"We believe the new system will mean a whole heck of a lot of better service for the customer," said Boyle. "The whole staff is excited about it."